Justin Brazeau scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game Monday afternoon at TD Garden.
Justin Brazeau scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game Monday afternoon at TD Garden.
The Boston Bruins’ fourth line has lacked a true identity all season. Through many iterations, it rarely provided the spark and edge the team needed.
That changed Monday in the B’s 4-3 shootout win over the Dallas Stars at TD Garden.
Jesper Boqvist, Anthony Richard and Justin Brazeau combined for four points – including Brazeau’s first NHL goal in his first NHL game.
“I just liked the way they played to our team identity of getting pucks in, getting on the forecheck, holding onto pucks, wearing out the goal line and back of the net,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said of the fourth line. “There wasn’t much risk and there was a lot of reward to the way they played.”
No one in the trio earned a roster spot out of training camp but, in a small sample size, they have brought some life back to the Bruins’ bottom six in an important second-half stretch.
Brazeau was signed to a two-year, two-way contract with an annual cap hit of $775,000 Monday after 49 games – and 37 points (18 goals, 19 assists) – with AHL Providence this season.
Boqvist opened scoring for the Bruins at 4:01 of the first period. The 25-year-old forward picked up a pass from Richard while crashing the net, flipped the puck to his forehand and wrapped it around Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger’s right pad for the 1-0 advantage. Richard – who scored his first goal as a Bruin Saturday – logged his second point in as many games on the play.
“I feel like last couple have been a little bit better – I came back a little bit slow from break I feel like, but it’s getting better again,” Boqvist said of his game.
The Stars found the 1-1 equalizer at 11:14 off a tip-in goal from forward Wyatt Johnston before taking an early second-period lead. Defenseman Ryan Suter released a wrister right off the face off that beat Swayman through traffic to make it 2-1 at 1:04.
Boston wasn’t behind for long, though, and knotted things 2-2 just 28 seconds later. Brazeau netted his first NHL goal with a knock-in, down-low shot. Boqvist and Trent Fredric won a puck battle in the right corner, and got the rubber over to a net-front Brazeau to blast home at 1:32.
“I kind of blacked out, honestly. [Richard] asked me where it went and I said ‘I have no idea.’ I just shot it and heard the crowd go crazy. It’s obviously a good feeling,” Brazeau said. “It’s been a long time playing pro hockey until I got here, but now obviously it all worked out so it feels pretty good right now.”
An offensive zone turnover – a miscue by Derek Forbort and lost puck battle by Brad Marchand – led to Esa Lindell’s goal off the rush to put the Stars up 3-2 at 10:44 of the third period.
David Pastrnak’s snapshot from the left side forced overtime with 1:45 remaining in regulation while the Bruins were skating 6-on-5. The five-minute, 3-on-3 period did not determine a winner, and it took a nine-round shootout for Boston to secure the two points.
Swayman – in a 43-save performance – made eight of nine stops in the shootout, and goals from Marchand and McAvoy sealed the win.
“He’s a battler and I think that really showed,” Montgomery said of Swayman. “They’re a shot volume team and they take a lot of shots from the point – got the first two goals on deflections – but it doesn’t deter him. He just keeps fighting, that’s why we call him bulldog.”
With the victory, the Bruins broke their four-game losing streak and closed out their seven-game homestand on a high note ahead of their upcoming road trip out West.
“That was a big one for us, team effort again, that’s how we’ve had success this year and always,” Marchand said. “It’s great to see some guys come up and make an impact – that helps, having that young energy and grittiness was big for us tonight.”
Boston will be back in action Wednesday as it takes on the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place for a 10 p.m. ET puck drop.
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